Machine for automatically filling-inflating gas cushions, notably air cushions, for packaging and use thereof for filling and inflating cushions

Abstract

A machine for automatically inflating air cushions. The cushions have two plastic walls ( 21; 22 ) joined together around their periphery to define a closed space. The machine comprises a source of gas under pressure, and two jaws ( 1; 2 ) arranged such that they can move on a supporting structure. Each one of the jaws consists of a body ( 1; 3 ) each having a plane face ( 4:10 ) of substantially the same shape and surface area, it being possible for the faces to mate against one another in order to clamp between them the walls ( 21; 22 ) of a cushion. Each jaw comprises an aspiration channel ( 6; 7 ) opening onto its planer face. A first jaw on the inside of its body has a hollow needle ( 5 ) able to move relative to the body and capable in a certain position of having its pointed tip outside of the surface of the plane face. A second jaw within its body has a heating element ( 18 ) capable, when the two jaws are clamping between them the two walls of a cushion, of heat-welding the two walls together over a certain proportion of their contacting surface.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A cushion inflator comprising:
 a first jaw having a cylinder, a needle disposed within the cylinder and axially movable relative to the cylinder, and a first aspiration channel disposed within the first jaw adjacent to a first terminal face of the first jaw; and 
 a second jaw having a cavity aligned to receive at least a portion of the needle, a heating element disposed within the second jaw and axially movable relative to a second terminal face of the second jaw, and a second aspiration channel disposed within the second jaw adjacent to the second terminal face of the second jaw. 
 
     
     
       2. The cushion inflator of  claim 1 , wherein the needle is a hollow needle connected at a first end to a source of pressurized gas, and wherein the needle has at least one opening in proximity to a second end to inject pressurized gas into a cushion. 
     
     
       3. The cushion inflator of  claim 2 , wherein the second end of the needle is axially movable from a retracted position within the cylinder to an extended position outside of the cylinder. 
     
     
       4. The cushion inflator of  claim 1 , wherein the first terminal face defines a first plurality of openings disposed annularly around the needle and in fluid communication with the first aspiration channel, and wherein the second terminal face defines a second plurality of openings disposed annularly around the heating element and in fluid communication with the second aspiration channel. 
     
     
       5. The cushion inflator of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element includes a ring-shaped surface for forming a ring-shaped weld around the needle when the needle is received in the cavity. 
     
     
       6. The cushion inflator of  claim 5 , wherein ring-shaped surface of the heating element forms the ring-shaped weld within a discontinuous weld zone of a cushion.